'Aamal': Arabic word for work touches on art, good deeds and festering wounds

Aamal is the Arabic word for work, but it can depict someone’s treatment of others as much as it does their profession.

The word is as versatile as its English counterpart. It can refer to someone’s job — wadhifa — or profession — mihna — as well as a handcrafted artwork — aamal yadiwiya — or workshop — warshat aamal.

In its noun form, aamal becomes aamel: worker.

For work done meticulously, you could say amala amalan salehan or sayean, and it can refer to anything from floral arrangements to car repairs. For work poorly executed, you could say amala amalan sayye'an. Amala binashat is work done energetically.

Amal can also mean do, as in a bored or troubled “what are we going to do?” — mal amal? — or in a colloquial expression: "Shu rah naamol?"

Shu rah taamol/taamoli is" “What are you going to do?”

Aamal khairiyya is charity work. Amal ijtimaa'i is social work. Amal jama'i is a collaborative effort. Aamal tijariyya is trade. Aamal sinaa'iyya is manufacturing. Aamal ziraa'iyya is agricultural work. Aamal manziliyya are house chores. Amal fanni is an artwork.

Amal layli is the night shift at work. Amal mu'aqqat is temporary work. Amal nisfi is a part-time job. Jadwal aamal is a business agenda. Maktab aamal is an office. Wizarat al aamal is the Ministry of Labour.

Muaamaleh sayyi'a is a mistreatment. Amala jirih is when a wound festers. Muamaleh jayyida is fair treatment. Aamalahu/aamaluha bilmethel is when a person treats someone as they are being treated.

Finally, an idiom or two.

Eamal kheiran wa kibbo belbahr means do a good deed and “throw it out to sea”, not expecting anything in return.

Ajalat el haz la yadfa'uha illa al aamal, which translates to the wheel of fortune, is only pushed by work.

Scroll through the gallery below to see The National's other Arabic words of the week

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.

8. Pillar 2 implementation

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer